Abducted priest attributes release to power of prayers

By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia

The principal of St. Bede’s College Ashing-Kom, Rev. Fr. William Neba, who unidentified but suspected separatists, kidnapped and whisked away to an unknown destination during a Eucharistic celebration on Monday, April 30, 2018, in the college hall, has attributed his release to the miracle of the power of prayers.

Speaking over the Archdiocesan broadcaster, Radio Evangelium, on May 03, shortly after his release, Fr. Neba said, “I thank all Christians for their prayers and I thank God for everything. People should know that prayers are not empty; prayers work and I think that is what brought me back.

Unidentified gunmen abducted Fr. William Neba on April 30 at about 6:20 am during a Eucharistic celebration in the college hall. Speaking to L’Effort Camerounais, the Communications Director for Bamenda Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Humphrey Tatah Mbuy, explained that unidentified people stormed the college auditorium where the chaplain, principal and students were celebrating Mass, precisely at the “Lord have mercy”, and took away the chaplain and main celebrant, Fr. Valantine Tatah, and the principal and the concelebrant, Fr. Neba, at gun point. The chaplain was released at the college gate and the principal whisked off to a yet to be disclosed location. Due to the complexity of the situation on the ground he refused to comment any further.

Shortly after the incident the Archbishop of Bamenda, Cornelius Fontem Esua, and some of his close collaborators visited the college to appraise the situation for themselves. Some understandably panic-stricken parents had already scurried to the college and were seen taking their children away. For security reasons all the students were later sent home.

A press release issued after Fr. William Neba was released on Wednesday, May 2, went no further than simply mentioning that the Archbishop and his Auxiliary, His Lordship Michael M. Bibi, were happy to announce that Fr. William Neba had been released and was in the Archbishop’s House. It only further indicated that “The Bishops thank God for bringing these trying moments to an end. The Bishops also thank all the priests, religious, Christians and all the people of goodwill for their fervent prayers and concern. They equally thank all those who collaborated in any way to ensure the safe release of Fr. Neba. The Bishops call on all Christians to continue praying that the present socio-political situation we are going through may be brought speedily to an end and peacefully resolved.”

The incident is coming just a few weeks to the beginning of the 2018 official end-of-course certificate exams and the college is an examination centre. It is presently unclear whether the college will be used as a centre. Though the press release expresses the desire to see the present socio-political imbroglio peacefully resolved, the government has ruled out all dialogue with separatists, suspected to be behind the abduction, and has opted for a military solution. Belo and its environs, where St. Bede’s College is located, is one of the hardest hit military repression areas and battle ground in the two affected English-speaking regions.

The Church has been involuntarily dragged into the crisis; targeted on the one hand by the government that once accused and even dragged the Church to court for backing separatists by shutting down their schools when the crisis just erupted and on the other hand by separatists angered by the Church’s recent decision to reopen her schools following pressure from parents. Though not only Catholic schools are targeted, it is the first time an official of a confessional school has been targeted as the situation continues to deteriorate.